Welcome To Walmart: Wind Energy Is Key Part Of Retailer's Plans - North American Windpower

A GE 1.5 MW SLE wind turbine that rises above Walmart's Red Bluff, Calif., distribution center has caused quite a stir. The 265-foot-tall turbine has become a local attraction to passers-by since its September 2012 installation, explains Greg Pool, director of energy at Walmart. "The [distribution center] manager out there is becoming a local celebrity," Pool jokes. "He certainly gets a lot of questions about it." For Walmart, however, the wind turbine is far more than a novelty: It represents the next step toward reaching the company's goal to eventually obtain 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar. According to a company spokesperson, Walmart has 180 renewable energy projects in operation or under development, and is continuing to test solar, fuel cells, micro wind, off-site wind projects and, more recently, combining wind energy with bat...